Here's Why The TVR Speed 6 Failed Massively

- Patreon -

- Special thanks -
David Davies, RND Engineering

- Timestamps -
00:00 Intro
01:09 The original Al Melling design
02:26 Suzuki-inspired feature
03:52 Engine architecture
04:37 Blueprint deviations
05:48 Infamous TVR modifications
06:34 Worse performing valvetrain
07:05 MCD 3.5-liter dyno
08:10 Summary
09:17 Final words

- Disclaimer -
This video is fair use under U.S. copyright law because it is transformative in nature, uses no more of the original than necessary and has no adverse effect on the market for the original work.

- Credits -
“TVR : Then & Now” by Games Green Coffee

“Blackpool Rock The TVR Story” by fazer2474

“TVR Tamora 4.3 - Engine” by Shmoo Automotive Ltd

“Tvr Tuscan 4.0 Speed Six startup” by julzm123

“TVR Cerbera Speed Six spin” by MrSpeedSix

“STR8 SIX's Speed Six Racecar.” by str8sixtvr

“TVR Tuscan Decatted Exhaust Lovely Sounds!! - 1080p HD” by jorrie2

“Tvr sagaris upgrade history to the old girl and TVR speed six software for tuning” by manofsin1975

“Sagaris acceleration” by Neil Murray

[Nickthebassist]

As the owner of a Cerbera Speed Six, and someone who’s owned 8 TVRs, I can tell you the main reason that the engine went wrong; cheap parts. TVR were using conrods and finger followers made in India from poor steel, which led to many issues. I’ve actually spoken to people at the factory who worked on/designed these engines (John Ravenscroft being one of them). I’d also add my Speed Six is now on 71k (bought at 31k) and has done multiple track days and been driven HARD. It’s in fine fettle, and producing within 6bhp of factory claimed BHP.

In summary, the Speed Six is fine if it’s made with good quality parts.

[stevie-ray]

When de-engineering the design of an engine to reduce production-costs results in huge costs in rectifying faults & warranty-claims!
The term for this is 'Death By Bean-counter', but in this circumstance it was the TVR brand itself that they almost killed off!

[audriusbaranauskas]

TVR is one of those cars that I'm just glad they exist! The cerbera is a stunning car to look at! I knew that TVR engines weren't known for reliability, but this is the most detail video I've seen on it. Straight 6 engines are known for low vibrations, but not when TVR makes them :) Great video, thanks!

[smile]

My TVR's previous owner had a engine rebuild. They even put ceramic exhaust manifolds on, which was very nice of them.
It's an awesome sounding and powerful machine. Very special to drive.

[stephenharfield]

I have a TVR with a straight six, not used as an every day car but I’ve had it for thirteen years. 55K on the clock with no engine problems.

[rogerking]

The cheapest way to do anything is "properly". Unfortunately, so many people don't seem to realise this and end up saddled with enormous rectification costs. As a general rule, fixing a problem is ten times more costly than doing it correctly in the first place.

[colinscutt]

Its good to see Dave getting some credit for all the work he put in

[WritewheelUK]

I spoke with one of the designers of the Speed 6 about the initial problems with the engine, so much more reliable than listening to second-hand anecdotes. His job was to see what went wrong with the engines returned to the factory. He said in his time, there until Smolenski sacked him after the takeover, he had not had a 3.5 Speed 6 returned.

I knew one chap who had four Speed 6-engined TVRs and he'd never had a an engine problem with any of them, all 'T-types'. He was fed up with people calling him a liar. I've driven every TVR from the Wedges onwards. I've driven every Sp6-engined car. I've also driven a number of six-pot cars, and owned a few. The Sp6 was the best of the lot to drive behind. It was a thrill, even just to poodle around town. Opened up, it was awe-inspiring.

Someone on here compared a Sp6 to a BMW. Really? The cars are totally different. When I drove my TVR around Brighton I would get waves from strangers. I’ve had umpteen people, pedestrians and drivers of other cars, once on the M40, ask me to ‘rev it up, please’. How many people would wave to the BMW? A rhetorical question of course. We all know.

A drive in any TVR is an experience you don’t forget. I doubt I could remember most of the BMWs I've driven.

The T350 and Tamora were wonderful cars to drive – made me feel like a good driver, and that ain’t easy – and also were reliable. I was reporting on a TVR dealers, talking to the mechanics. They’d been around a bit, mainly high performance cars, Ferrari and Porsche in particular. I don’t want to knock any make of car, but the myth that Porches are ultra-reliable is just that. Their trick was customer service, something TVR knew little about. A Porsche came in with a RMS failure, quite common at the time, came in under warranty. The chap was going on holiday the following morning, ferry booked and everything. He turned up the following morning, suitcase and girlfriend in hand, and they caught their ferry. Not a TVR experience.

As for Ferraris, well just don’t ask.

TVR is an enthusiast’s car. You give up a bit for that, but you gain so much more. I had mine for nine years. The only thing that had to be replaced outside of services was a rear calliper, the handbrake mechanism failing. I lived next door but one to a woman who drove the ultra-reliable Honda S200. Don’t believe the hype. She had a few problems with it. And don’t believe those who don’t really know what went on. I was there. I wrote about TVR in those days. I spoke with people at the factory. I knew the designer of the Sp6.

The engine is not why TVR failed. It was sold as a going concern to someone with no interest in keeping it going. A tragedy, as are rumours.

[Nathan.Guthrie]

I have a 2004 TVR Tamora fitted with the 3.6l Speed 6 engine. 31.5k miles and nearly 20 years later and its working perfectly well. This was an engine that was under less strain than the 4.0l engines and built with better quality components and crucially its been extremely well looked after by every owner from new.

Granted now engine rebuilds are pretty commonplace but for ever story saying how unreliable the engine was there are stories out there saying the opposite. Only those with issues have any strong voice, those without just kept quiet, after all why should they make a fuss if everything was working well for them. They do take more servicing than many engines but after all its got its roots in racing, the Merc Project One is much the same but many go nuts for it all the same.

I love my Tamora, its been a lifelong dream of mine to own one after lusting for after one for 14 years. It really doesn't disappoint and its much more special experience than anything else with a similar value. I genuinely wouldn't swap it for anything even 4 times the price coming from Italy, Germany or Japan. The only car that couple possibly replace it is another TVR, a Sagaris.

[John_cupra]

I’ve been waiting for this one, i see why, you obviously put allot of research into it. It was really interesting to watch. Could have been a great unit. Got to love the cerbera v8 though❤, it decimated everything for a while. The race clarkson put together springs to mind first. Cheers 👌

[Josh-qmrb]

I swear people have had to have engine rebuilds at like only 20k miles on those TVRs. The other rivals such as the 2JZ-GTE and the BMW S50 could be good for 300k miles if taken care of properly.
Being a British person, it just annoys me how the UK manufactures produced such unreliable cars compared to everywhere else, even to this day. At least the Jaguar AJ6/XJ6 was a solid, reliable inline 6.

[dozercoastalva]

I'd love to learn more about the lancia triflux engine. Pretty obscure but the design interests me. Maybe you can dig up some info on it. Keep up the great work! Thank you

[stevekelsey]

I had 3 Speed sixes. One in a Tuscan mk1 S, 4 litres early build. The second in a T350 which didn’t have the same torque so I had the TVRPower upgrade which had a billet crank and was stroked to 4.2 litres. I had that one for 9 years. The last one was in a mk2 Tuscan. I used my cars everyday day. London traffic and blasts in the countryside at the weekend. Two of them took me to the south of France several times. I did track days as well. I never had a moments problem from the three Speed Sixes.

[-Eckhart]

Brilliant video as always! In Germany, we do things differently. The engineering department gets a budget price more than which the engine is not allowed to cost in production. Every development stage gets costed in accompaniment, but it's up to the chief engineer alone to meet the target production cost. So all modifications are in the hands of the project engineer from start to finish. Voilà.

[oil]

My current 2006 TVR Tuscan Convertible, I bought in 2009 on 32k miles, is on 87k miles with no rebuild. Post 2004 engines were improved upon with 2005 and 2006 engines being more reliable. My first Tuscan Mk1 had a factory rebuild at 35k miles and needed a rebuild again at 70 (when I bought it). This time it was done by Str8Six where decent materials were introduced. Both cars saw many trips across to Germany and down to Spain and Portugal. Apart from the two Tuscans I've had 2 Chimaera's, a 4.2 Cerbera and a Tasmin.
I Love TVR's.

[DavidMartin-tkfs]

Well done Visioracer, I was prepared for another video trotting out the same old rubbish about TVR but there was some great new angles and properly in depth analysis I'd not seen before.
Great to hear Dave Davis getting a little credit for his expertise too. Not met him personally but we have mutual friends who hold him in high esteem.
I would just say the story seems a bit pro-Melling and I think there was probably responsibility on all sides for good and less good aspects of the project.

[philiptownsend]

I really enjoyed this video, Mr Visio at his best.

You have the knack of understanding engine engineering and explaining it clearly to us interested unqualified amateur engineers like most car/engine enthusiasts.

Where will we all go when our transport is powered by whirring washing machine motors? They have no soul.

[UPnDOWN]

Brilliant video, the best I've seen on the Speed-Six so far.

[denzbeanz]

The most powerful naturally aspirated 6 cylinder engine ever made, that is NOT a failure! Its a massive win for British design

[RandGTFan]

Wow! I didn't know ANY of this...what a shame. I'm always drooling all over those extremely good sounding Sagaris. 😅 It seems like it could have been a fantastic engine.